QBIC takes inaugural brain injury roadshow to Townsville
In April 2024, the Queensland Brain Injury Collaborative (QBIC), in partnership with NIISQ Agency, welcomed more than 80 health professionals and community members to the brain injury roadshow event in Townsville.
QBIC Director Associate Professor Fatima Nasrallah said QBIC is a research-led initiative that aims to improve care across the trajectory of acquired brain injury.
“The roadshow event in Townsville was the first of a series of events that are planned to roll out through rural, regional, and remote Queensland to share insights and expertise about brain injury,” Associate Professor Nasrallah said.
“By bringing together researchers, clinicians, health professionals, people with lived experience, and other stakeholders, we hope to establish and nurture a network devoted to improving care for people with brain injuries.”
The first event was a free information session, Brain Injury: Unmasking the invisible, for general practitioners. At this session, brain injury specialist speakers shared their knowledge and expertise in navigating the complexities of brain injury care with more than 30 local healthcare professionals.
The speakers and the topics they covered included:
• Dr Eric Guazzo, North Queensland Neurosurgery and Spinal Surgery, Brain injury spectrum of care
• Dr Caitlin Arthur, Townsville University Hospital, Regaining function - the rehabilitation journey
• Dr Harry McConnell, Institute for the Clinical Advancement of Neuroplasticity, Mental health and traumatic brain injury
• Dr Ben Turner, Acquired brain injury outreach service (ABIOS), Princess Alexandra Hospital, Facilitating community integration outcomes after acquired brain injury
• Dr Sarah Kleinman from the Health & Wellbeing North Ward, Acquired brain injury in the community: a GP's perspective.
The second event was a free community information session, From surviving to thriving: Building bridges for brain injury awareness and recovery. More than 50 locals living with a brain injury, their carers and local experts joined this session. NIISQ participant Mikayla Dempsey courageously shared her lived experience of brain injury.
The other speakers at the community session were brain injury experts.
• Gaenor Walker, NIISQ Agency General Manager, spoke about developing meaningful goals after a traumatic brain injury.
• Dr Ben Turner from the acquired brain injury outreach service (ABIOS) at the Princess Alexandra Hospital discussed building support networks.
• Jennifer Cullen and Adam Schickerling from Synapse presented about brain injury and vulnerability.
For further information about the sessions, please email QBIC.